Box.net is an online file storage and file sharing site that allows users to upload and share documents. With this tool you can create a unique Website address which you can then share with others to whom you provide the link. In addition you can create collaborative folders for sharing with other Box.net users, thus creating a collaborative space for file storage. Box.net also permits access into several online editing environments so that not only can you store and share files, but you can use these online tools to edit your files.
I have recently started to use Box.net and find it very useful when sharing large files that may exceed Email attachment size limits. For example I recently needed to send a large PDF file to our school district’s print shop. The size of the file exceeded the size allowed by our district’s Email system. In the past I might have burned a copy of the file to a CD and then physically taken it to the print shop. This time I uploaded the PDF file via Box.net and then used the program’s interface to Email the print shop a link to the file. Box.net has a number of levels of service including a free version that allows up to 1 Gigabyte of storage and limits file uploads to 10 Megabytes. The for-fee plans allow for more storage and larger file uploads.
